Filippo Inzaghi’s future as Milan coach has been thrown into doubt and today’s match at home to Verona is being billed as his last chance to keep his first senior coaching job.

In what has become a familiar routine, once-mighty Milan’s season has turned into a story of crisis, false dawns, injuries and new signings who have failed to settle in, with the coach left to pick up the tab for the club’s failings.

Fernando Torres came and went, scoring one goal in four months, and forwards Alessio Cerci and Mattia Destro have managed one goal between them since joining in the January transfer window.

Adriano Galliani, the club’s veteran chief executive and president Silvio Berlusconi’s right-hand man, twice visited the Milanello training ground this week, a sure-fire sign for Italian media that another crisis is brewing.

Gazzetto dello Sport said that Galliani was particularly worried about the number of injuries, which have been a recurring feature at the seven-times European champions over the past three seasons.

Midfielders Nigel de Jong and Riccardo Montolivo, both ruled out of today’s game, were the latest to join the injured list which already includes Adil Rami, Cristian Zapata, Ignazio Abate, Mattia De Sciglio, Pablo Armero and Cristian Zaccardo.

Even if Inzaghi survives this weekend, Italian media are already speculating on who may replace him at the end of the season and the names of Borussia Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp and Fioren-tina’s Vincenzo Montella have been thrown into the mix.

Milan, who finished eighth last season, have slumped to joint 10th in the table after being held 0-0 at lowly Chievo last weekend.

The Champions League already looks way beyond their reach and they are struggling to even qualify for the much-maligned Europa League, which would condemn them to a second season without European football.

Inzaghi, Milan’s third coach in less than one year, is going through the same turbulent process as his predecessors Massimiliano Allegri and Clarence Seedorf.

Both fell victim to a combination of unrealistically high expectations and a lacklustre squad and made several visits to last chance saloon and reprieves before they were eventually fired.

Critics say Milan have been left standing by domestic and international rivals who have stronger youth programmes, better scouting and clearer philosophies of how to run their club.

In January, the Curva Sud supporters’ group said that Galliani, not Inzaghi, was responsible for the team’s failings.

“Inzaghi, in reality is just yet another coach who is given a low level squad which is presented as if it’s the best side in the world,” said the fans in a statement.

“The architect of the team is... the chief executive (who) acts in the total absence of a project, pays huge wages for players of dubious value or even throws away the little transfer budget he is given on terrible signings.”

Meanwhile, Juventus will attempt to overcome the disappointment of their midweek Coppa Italia defeat to Fiorentina when they return to Serie A action at home to Sassuolo.

The Bianconeri lost for the first time in Turin in nearly two years by going down 2-1 in Thursday’s semi-final. But Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri is convinced his players will fight back in the return leg.

“We achieved our aim at the start of the season to be alive in three competitions in March,” Allegri said.

“We have a Champions League second leg at Borussia Dortmund to look forward to and then the second leg of the Coppa.

“We will try to turn things around, aware it will not be easy because Fiorentina are in great form and play very good football.”

Fixtures

Serie A

Playing today
Sampdoria vs Cagliari - 18.00
Milan vs Verona - 20.45

Tomorrow
Cesena vs Palermo - 12.30
Chievo vs Roma
Empoli vs Genoa
Napoli vs Inter - 20.45
Parma vs Atalanta
Udinese vs Torino

Monday
Lazio vs Fiorentina - 19.00
Juventus vs Sassuolo - 21.00

Leading standings: Juventus 58; Roma 49; Napoli 45; Lazio 43; Fiorentina 42; Sampdoria 39; Genoa, Torino 36; Inter 35; Milan, Palermo 34; Sassuolo 29; Empoli, Udinese, Verona 28; Chievo 25; Atalanta 23; Cagliari 20; Cesena 19; Parma 10.

Serie B

Playing today – 15.00
Avellino vs Bari - 18.00
Catania vs Spezia
Crotone vs Trapani
Latina vs Carpi
Livorno vs Ternana
Modena vs Frosinone
Perugia vs Lanciano
Pescara vs Vicenza
Pro Vercelli vs Brescia
Varese vs Bologna

Monday
Engella vs Cittadella - 20.30

Leading standings: Carpi 56; Bologna (-1) 48; Frosinone, Vicenza 47; Avellino 46; Livorno 44; Pescara, Spezia 42; Lanciano 39.

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